2020 Issues & Opportunities
The past year has been momentous for us all.
The Georgia Conservancy is grateful for your support, encouragement and faith: Working toward the collective vision of a Georgia where people and the environment thrive is critical to Georgia’s long-term viability and success.
You are essential to the effort.
In the face of the pandemic, the Georgia Conservancy remains laser-focused on protecting and conserving Georgia’s natural resources.
We seek to involve Georgians in our mission through conservation, community engagement and experiential education with a goal of supporting healthy natural systems and thriving communities.
OnGoing Conservation Efforts
Okefenokee Protection
Continued opposition to mining near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which threatens the ecological-integrity of this internationally-recognized ecosystem.
Gopher Tortoise Initiative
Protecting critical habitat in Georgia for the Gopher Tortoise - a threatened keystone species and Georgia state reptile - remains an ongoing collaborative effort.
Public Lands in Middle Georgia
Promoting expanded conservation of the 35-miles of river in Middle Georgia - between Macon and Hawkinsville - with partners in the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative.
Community Engagement & Outreach
NPU-G Atlanta
Community-focused update to our 2010 Master Plan for the neighborhoods within Neighborhood Planning Unit-G in City of Atlanta, which is home to the environmentally-sensitive Proctor Creek.
Newton County Housing Study
Survey and analysis of Newton County's housing supply, demand, and growth projections in order to position the county’s communities for positive change.
MILSTEAD VILLAGE REVITALIZATION PLAN
The revitalization plan for Milstead Village seeks to identify ways in which the community can preserve its current character and history while allowing for modest growth and future prosperity.
Coastal Protection
Georgia's coast stretches for nearly 100 miles and features some of the nation's most pristine beaches, remote salt marshes and protected maritime forests. Protecting our coast has been a priority of the Georgia Conservancy for more than 50 years.
We continue strong opposition to offshore oil & gas leasing, support the protection of the endangered North Atlantic right whale, promote ecologically-sound practices in shellfish mariculture, and advocate for the protection of our barrier islands.
Additionally, we continue to monitor the proposed Spaceport Camden, as well as the salvaging of the Golden Ray cargo vessel from St. Simons Sound.
STATEWIDE ADVOCACY
The 2020 Legislative Session was marked by a three-month suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Georgia Conservancy remained focused through the resumption of the session in June and saw successes through a number of legislative actions.
Experiential Education
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Georgia Conservancy has focused on delivering educational discussions and updates on issues important to Georgia’s natural resources and environment through regular Facebook Live and Untrip from Home offerings.
Georgia Now & FOrever
Our ground-breaking sustainable future initiative includes a longitudinal comparative study of Georgia’s landcover over five decades, examining changes at municipal, county, region, and watershed scales.
Work continues to review changes against known trends related to climate impacts, land conservation, water quality, industrial shifts, and related policy changes. The data we have assembled and interpreted can have large implications for how Georgia will achieve a sustainable future.
The next phase of the project will allow us to create an interactive land-use decision-making toolkit to educate policy makers, corporate and community leaders, and other citizens. The goal: to help them make quality decisions about growth management, strategic land conservation, and redevelopment priorities now, leading to more land that remains flexible to meet various ecological functions and needs.
To learn more about our work during the past year, please reach out to Georgia Conservancy Communications Director Brian Foster at bfoster@gaconservancy.org
Click here to support our continued efforts to protect and conserve Georgia’s natural resources.
